Texas to vote on Islam, Christianity in textbooks

The State Board of Education votes Friday on a resolution to reject “gross pro-Islamic, anti-Christian distortions in social studies texts.”

The resolution, “Balanced Treatment of Religious Groups in Textbooks” (full text here), accuses the books of dedicating too much space to Islam over Christianity and portraying the faith too positively, by “sugarcoating” and using “politically correct whitewashes” of its history and culture.

If passed, the measure won’t have a direct effect on classrooms, since the criticism addresses out-of-date textbooks that are no longer used; however, there’s fear that the decision could change the tone of Texas education, allowing board members to revise history from a Christian viewpoint.

After a summer of Islam-centered culture wars in America, the resolution is getting national attention and yet again making the Texas education system seem conservative and wacky.

Some say that’s because the system is conservative and wacky. Watchdog groups and clergy across the state have condemned the resolution.

A group of pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and other religious leaders organized by the Texas Freedom Network has signed an open letter to the Texas State Board of Education urging defeat of a proposed resolution denouncing a purported pro-Islamic and anti-Christian bias in the state’s world-history textbooks.

“We believe this resolution is a thinly veiled attempt to generate fear and promote religious intolerance, which as we have sadly seen before in history, can quickly lead to violence,” the letter says. “Also, this unwise resolution involves our children in a divisive political debate that has no place in Texas classrooms.”

A report by the Texas Freedom Network, a group that advocates against the religious right’s influence on public education, found the resolution’s assertions to be taken out of context and misleading.

The resolution’s supporters say an anti-Christian bias is something to be worried about and should be remedied. They believe that American-based Muslim terrorists, the 9/11 attacks and outrage over the planned Quran-burning are part of a long history of Muslim violence that should not be downplayed in schools… especially not at the expense of Christianity.

“It’s a great idea. That radical idea of Judeo-Christianity, that man is created in the image of God. So if you have world history books that downplay Christianity – Judeo-Christianity – and it doesn’t even make it in the table of contents, I think there’s a great concern,” board member Don McLeroy told KHOU.

If they teach the Catholic church’s veiled support of Nazis in Germany, and long history of hiding pedophiles, and the torture and murder that was common during the Crusades and Inquisition, I think that would be even-handed.

Both religions seek to take over the world by forbidding birth-control and practically enslaving women as stay at home baby machines.

The truth is that Christinaity and Islam have more in common than most people admit, and it isn’t anything for either one to be proud of.

We had an elective social studies course in high school called world religion. It covered major religions and the various divisions in each one. It was completely objective and informative, and did not favor one over the other.I had decided before that time that organized religion was just another form of government that tried to control the populous in social ways, and chose another path for my life. Religion has effected history, but should only be referenced in history texts to that effect.

“After a summer of Islam-centered culture wars in America, the resolution is getting national attention and yet again making the Texas education system seem conservative and wacky.”

You might as well add to your Islam culture wars the “wacky conservatives” of the netherlands(apparently amsterdam is now conservative), france, spain, india, malaysia, etc….you could include any non islamic centered country that borders an Islamic centered country for that matter……WOW WHAT A WACKY CONSERVATIVE WORLD!!!

The only people making the Texas education system seem wacky are the liberals who refuse to acknowledge God or anything related to morality. Instead they insist our textbooks praise people who attacked us and started wars against us. What is wrong with our country when God is kicked out of our children’s lives and replaced with terrorist-friendly viewpoints? Hopefully we can put this kind of nonsense to rest in November and again in 2012.

Cynthia Dunbar’s church is off 59 just south of the Brazos. They have a big sign that reads Back To School, Back To Church. I’d like to add Out Of The SBOE. The conservatives on the board know that this is their last hurrah.

Kate is obviously a leftist. Our Nation was founded on Biblical principals. Not on a terrorist worshiped book, or a religion of violence. The last part of her ;ast name really fit’s her biased writing.

These are the same people who want to break down “the wall separating church and state” (Thomas Jefferson). They want prayer in schools (in Jesus name) they just don’t want prayer RUGS. These loons are not fit to evaluate textbooks. Let’s hope they don’t decide to burn the ones they think are “anti-Christian.”

Why is it that Islam always has to be shown as a peace loving religion while Christianty is always shown as a hate filled one? Islam teaches hate, teaches one it is Ok to lie, teaches it to good to kill infidels, Christians and Jews and yet they are portrayed as peace loving by the media? Why is that? Islam hates Christians and Jews and is trying to become the dominate religion in the world and if they succeed they will NOT allow any other religion. They need to be shown for what they are and that is hate filled. There is NO moderate Muslim for if they are true believers they are ALL radical Muslims that hate everyone that is not of their religion…. Everyone in the USA needs to wake up to this fact now….

“f passed, the measure won’t have a direct effect on classrooms, since the criticism addresses out-of-date textbooks that are no longer used”

That pretty much sums up the entire recent history of the SBOE. They are out of date and should not be meeting, since all they have done is lowered the education standards of Texas. Vote out your SBOE member now.

I have still YET to see one single title and publisher (that’s how you find them) of a text book that references Islam AT ALL.

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This sounds like a lot of political hype that got the attention of religious people. Believe me, I’m NO fan of Muslims but before I go off on something I’d like to see if it’s even real or not! This just doesn’t seem real. For days on I’ve asked, “What books are you talking about?” I get no response or rhetorical responses telling me I’m a fool but still no one else seems to know which books they’re talking about.

This is so stupid! Why are you fighting over something like this? They never seem to ask teachers for their opinions. I am a teacher of world history and we teach all religions to promote religious tolerance. Most students have no clue about other religions other than what they believe. I tell them the reason we go over it is to inform the students of the similarities and differences of the major world religions. A lot of students think that if you are Muslim you are probably a terrorist because that is what they here about Muslims on the news. As a Christian, I think it is good to know about the other religions so we can be respectful to other people and their culture. We have so much to teach in World History, that this debate really doesn’t matter because we only spend about one class teaching about the 5 major religions. We have to teach the earliest history of earth to the present-day which is a lot to cover in one year!!

The world’s religions should be presented in text books neutrally. Their place in history and the development of civilization and society should be taught, but any spin to promote one over another (Or to promote one at all), or to white wash their history shouldn’t be allowed. Teach about their proper place in the history of the world, warts and all, and leave the religious lessons for religious leaders at a place of worship. If Islam is truly being promoted in these books, that shouldn’t be allowed, neither should Christianity or any other religion be pushed.

Well Kate, I do not think having propaganda of our enemies printed in our school books is a good thing. Islam is not a religion any more than the KKK is. Do you think we should publish the beliefs of the KKK in our school books? What I think is whacky and goofy is the continuing low quality of the supposed writers in our last remaining city newspaper. That is is truly disheartening. Keep on the path you guys are on and you will help destroy yet another paper that has been in business for over 100 years.

The Texas Freedom Network has demonstrated that 1) the textbooks they are complaining about are old ones that aren’t used in Texas anymore and 2) they distorted the facts about those textbooks. These people won’t be happy until we’ve returned to New England in the 17th century.

Religion is one of the most critical piece of history. It changes the history of the world. One of the main reasons why there were wars around the world is because of religion. What makes you think it will brainwash the children if the real facts are part of the history?

Have be become so politically correct that we bury our heads in the sand when it comes to Islam? When I went to school, test books were critical of Christianity when it talked about the Inquisition, Crusades, etc. I didn’t see any Christian churches threatening violence. Then why is it that when the violent acts of Muslims are depicted in text books, there is a great hue and cry about how the books put Islam in a negative light?

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Well, here’s a news flash. Islam has had and continues to have a violent streak. Why sugar coat it with political correctness?

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I for one am getting tired of the political correctness surrounding Islam and Muslims. I’m tired of the ‘accommodations’ given to Muslim students and prisoners. I’m tired of the treats of violence that crop up anytime Muslims don’t agree with something in Western Society.

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Muslims need to develop a thicker skin. Heaven only knows Christians have had to do it over the years.

If we taught children how to reason–that is, to carefully and thoroughly gather information, draw inferences, consider alternatives, rigorously test their own and others’ ideas, never consider anything too sacred to question, understand how unfounded beliefs form and mistakes happen, etc.–we could begin the process of relegating religion to ancient history texts and “supernatural” phenomena to magic shows and movies.

The Texas Board of Education is hellbent on indoctrinating children in wacky nonsense and turning them into selfish, condemning conservatives.

Islam has more followers than Christianity does and it continues to grow (1990-2000 increase of 105% while christianity increased 5% in the US). The Christians will continue to beg to teach religion in schools until more Muslims convert/move here. Then when the same precedents and rules they create are used to teach about Mohammed I can gaurantee they’ll start screaming about seperation of church and state.

Beware of what you ask for now about teaching religion in public schools; you could be paying for it later. Support seperation of church and state in public schools now. If you teach one religion, teach the good and bad about all of them.

“Conservative” equals “wacky” according to Ms. Shellnut. That told me all I need to know about her opinions and where they come from. Just another liberal who thinks everything conservative is wrong. Oh she of the closed and brainwashed mind.

The fact is, some liberals, especially the “I hate America” crowd, for the past 30 years have been peddling the story line that Islam is good and that Christianity is bad. It all stems from the Crusades (700 to 900 years ago) when Western European Christians sent several armies to attempt to capture the Holy Land (Jerusalem) from the Muslims who had taken over there starting in about 700 AD (700 CE to all of you progressive types who don’t believe the calendar should date from Christ). Modern Christians (those alive today) are blamed for what happened 900 years ago.

Much of the problem in today’s world is that people are intolerant of any other view, religious or otherwise. Islamists are intolerant of anyone who do not agree with them and preach that their religion requires the death of all infidels who will not convert. Many Christians teach that all who do not believe in Christ are going to Hell. People who hold either of those beliefs cannot find peace with each other.

Ms. Shellnut, you need to realize that Christians seek such resolutions because it seems that in our society today it is permitted, even encouraged, to criticize Christianity and glorify its critics. Many if the world have decided (in their mind determined) that there is no God and that it is safe to mistreat religious adherents. Maybe that’s true. But woe to all if it is not.

America was founded on the Christian Faith. We praise God in our Constitution, “In God We Trust” is on our currency. We do not need to teach Islam to our children. I read an article the other day where the school field trip was to a local Mosque. Good Grief!! Why are we trying to ram Islam down American’s throat’s?

I guess this columnist hasn’t heard: Conservatism is now preferred by a good majority of Americans. And Liberalism is found to be “wacky.”

We need more groups to protect us from ultra-Liberalism. What we find happening is the Left trashes Christianity and supports Islamism. The oddest thing yet, is that many of these people are women; Muslims aren’t known to respect “Women’s Liberation.”

The REAL laughing stocks of this world are on the Left: Illogical; ill-informed; illiterate (many); and dangerous to all of us.

I believe you are a bit confused. They do not teach religion in schools. They teach you the history of religion. There is a huge difference. You dont learn all their beliefs and scriptures, you simply learn what their mark was throughout history. If you want to be taught religion go to church.

I believe that the curriculum taught to kids in public schools should be neither conservative nor liberal. Neither Republican nor Democrat. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s an issue of whether Texas is teaching its students the TRUTH.

And I said “making Texas seem conservative and wacky.” Look at the picture at that link. People across the country think the state is full of backwards cowboy hicks because of the way we are running our schools.

@doogcat- I think the fact that this issue made national and international news (Chicago, London, New York, though it is a resolution that, as I said, will have no immediate, direct impact on the curriculum, shows how there’s a lot of attention on how *Texas* handles its schools.

Comments on stories like these refer to them as:

* “Texas BOE fundies”

* “group of bigots in texass”

* “the Flintstones”

* “a disgrace to education”

And even: “At what point do we decide as a nation that Texas needs to become its own country and leave the rest of us the hell alone?”

Raising this kind of issues makes people skeptical about the leadership of our state and its residents.

“People across the country think the state is full of backwards cowboy hicks because of the way we are running our schools.”

Unfortunately, this is true. As a Texan, it’s embarrassing. Fundies control the board and run things based on their personal belief systems, which should, of course, apply to everyone. Though it’s definitely hyperbolic, I like the “Christian Taliban” characterization.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

That is all it says on the subject of religion. Says nothing about a “separation of church and state,” only means the federal government will not pick one religion, or denomination of one, to be the “official religion of the country” and will not hinder you from practicing your own faith. Same as it will not deprive you of free speech, assembly and press as the rest of the sentence goes on to say. It’s more of a line about what the government will not prevent than it is creating any separations of anything. How do so many people not understand this?

Let’s call this what it is – a BLATANT attempt by self-appointed “culture warrors” – which, to a THINKING person, is synonymous with “propagandists,” abusing positions of power to forward a reactionary agenda based upon no less than straight-out bigotry. This group of idiots, led by a Pat Robertson-indoctrinated home-schooling Josef Goebbels wannabe, should be recalled. Heck, if we wanna get “back to basics” as they advocate, let’s just publically flog them, lock them in stocks, and fling rotten vegetables at them. Anybody who supports this nonsense is a BIGOT who has no knowledge of history. And certainly has no business editing textbooks. Are Texas voters really this stupid?

beholder, if you hate Texas so much why are you still here? The anchor applies to your mother, not you. You are free to go to California (for example). I will donate your bus fair if you promise never to return.

The truth – according to whom? I’m serious. Seriously. What one perceives as “truth” varies quite a lot, depending on your ones of view. This is the basis for the adage “history is written by the victors.”

Truth – in the mathematical sense – is pretty easy to define (2 + 2 = 4, except in some FORTRAN programs, where it is 3.999999…) Truth – in the historical sense – is actually quite subjective (subject, of course, to the cultural and moral [values] filters you see the events through.) Truth – in the scientific sense – is actually somewhere between those two extremes, as what is “settled” science is actually not universally agreed upon, even by scientists. Just as debate among scientists is normal, so is debate among the general population. It’s what helps us grow and evolve (slowly as it may seem at times.)

IMHO, the way to deal with the whole church-state thing in the schools is the same as how we should deal with gay marriage: get the state (government) out of the primary and secondary (K-12) education (and also the marriage) business. Return controls of the schools – and the curricula – to the parents, who can determine where (and how) they want their children educated. Cut the purse strings to Washington, and Austin. We managed to educate our children for many, many years before we had government-controlled education. We can manage to do so, again.

Thomas Jefferson disagrees with you, gary. According to him, the wording of the First Amendment is a reference to such separation between church and state. In a letter to the Danbury Baptists Association, he wrote

“…I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

So, although separation of church and state is not specifically called such in the Constitution, it is obvious that that is what at least one of the founders meant. Moreover, the Supreme Court has been convinced of this intent since about 1878.

So if you got the alleged quotes from CNN, NPR, and Huffington Post (like who cares about what these liberals think about Texas?) why did you link to the Chicago tribute, the UK daily mail, and the New York paper?

I will continue to try and find the alleged quotes absent any true links.

It is not what i or you say,think or write about Islam and Christianty,it is what their foundations stand upon and it is for this i have no fear that Islam always stands firm and just against all other isms!